


Gipsy Danger

by rosewindow



Category: Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: Gen, POV Second Person
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-18
Updated: 2013-07-18
Packaged: 2017-12-20 13:39:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 794
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/887908
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rosewindow/pseuds/rosewindow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>You’ll never be a pilot, you know that - no warrior mentality, no killer instinct - but there was no way in hell you were going through life without getting your hands on a Jaeger.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Gipsy Danger

You’ll never be a pilot, you know that - no warrior mentality, no killer instinct - but there was no way in hell you were going through life without getting your hands on a Jaeger. You worked your ass off in school, memorized blueprints of the Mark-1s and -2s. You’d submitted a design for the Mark-3 that allowed the pilots more freedom of motion and you’d won an honorable mention. Right out of school you got a job calibrating the simulator mechanisms, which was very cool (and important, your mother’s voice pointed out), but wasn’t the same thing at all.

And then they stopped the Jaeger Program. (Your brother works as a public works engineer, and the two of you got into a screaming fight about the merits of Jaegers and walls.)

A job opened up in Hong Kong to repair a Mark-3 and you took it without telling your parents.

It’s pouring when you arrive. You drop your bags in your bunk without looking at it and head straight to the Repairs Dock.

“Someone’s keen,” says a grease-stained Russian man when you get there.

“Excited,” you admit. “I’ve never been this close to one.”

“Name the three major differences between the Mark-2 and the Mark-3,” he barks suddenly, but you rattle them off without hesitation.

“Hmmm,” he says thoughtfully. “The harnesses aren’t engaging. You have an hour to figure out the problem.”

You scamper into the head and emerge fifty-seven minutes later, bruised, covered in dust, sweat, and oil, and triumphant.

“Now fix it. I’ll give you two hours this time.”

Weeks pass this way, and Gipsy Danger takes shape beneath you. You pass Sergei’s tests most of the time, but the Jaeger was very damaged, and it’s hard work. It’s so, so worth it though. Your task today is testing the harnesses and making sure there are no surprising glitches in the hydraulics. You’ve fixed four major issues and are taking a well-deserved moment to enjoy the feel of the mechanics all around you.

“I believe that’s mine,” says a laughing voice.

You jump and get twisted in the harness.

“It fits better with a suit on too,” says Raleigh Becket.

You get yourself unhooked and drop onto the floor of Gipsy Danger’s control center.

“Sorry, sir. I’m so-” you stammer, but he holds up a hand.

“I get it. She’s wonderful, isn’t she?”

“Yes, sir.”

“You can drop the ‘sir,’” he says with a small smile. "So, what are you doing to Miss Danger?"

You explain about the hydraulic calibration and the improved controls, and he laughs.

"I've only ever half-understood all that stuff. I'm glad someone knows what they're doing. How's she handle?"

"Well enough. I'll have to do some final calibrations once your co-pilot is picked, but I made some educated guesses. I assume you'll take the right side?"

"Yeah. How'd you-?"

“Oh. I, uh. I’ve followed every Jaegar and pilot. I know the stats for every machine and the rundown of all the major confrontations. Plus I’ve uh, been here for the restoration. They kicked me out of the cockpit the day they reattached the arm; I lost a whole day of work because some idiot decided not to test the alloy of the attachment pieces before- uh. Oh god. I’m rambling, aren’t I?” You flush, embarrassed.

He smiles at you. “I’m glad you’ve been taking care of her. I’ll try and keep her in one piece for you.”

Everything ramps up after Becket’s arrival. You finish your work and get enlisted to help with some of the fiddly work on Striker Eureka’s patch-up. You make time to go see the co-pilot trials for Gipsy though. Afterwards, you run straight to the Repairs Dock and adjust the left-hand harness for Mako Mori’s height. She’ll get it; she has to get it.

Ms. Mori’s intensity has always scared you a bit, but when you see her in the Jaeger suit you realize there’s no one else you’d rather see piloting Gipsy Danger.

You watch the first test run nervously. The test starts and you can tell already that this is something special. And then the plasma cannon begins to arm.

You’re right in the line of fire, and the people around you start edging away nervously, but you stay put. Gipsy’s always been beautiful, but here, with purpose, with pilots, she’s gorgeous. There’s no way you’re missing this.

So yeah, the first trial run is by no means a success, but no one died, and the controls are clearly working perfectly. You hold onto the image of Gipsy Danger, her nuclear heart alight, her eyes blazing, and her arm lifted as if she’s reaching for something, and you know, you _know_ , that this beautiful creature is going to save the world.


End file.
